


the further adventures of lem, hella, and fero: a brief journey to the kingdom of death

by fangirl_squee, madelinestarr



Series: the bird, the book, the shield [7]
Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Not Really Character Death, very very light samol/tristero
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-13 05:27:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11178012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl_squee/pseuds/fangirl_squee, https://archiveofourown.org/users/madelinestarr/pseuds/madelinestarr
Summary: Sometimes it takes a moment before you can get to the happy ending part of adventuring.





	the further adventures of lem, hella, and fero: a brief journey to the kingdom of death

**Author's Note:**

> So we got to the end of the series and we were like "we're done" and then we were like "... oh, actually, there was this one other thing I had an idea about, and this other thing? And another one" (we're very fond of this au).
> 
> Thanks, as ever, to Lexie, for betaing.

Hella charged in front of Lem and Fero, slashing at the creature as it roared. It fell before her sword, but not before getting in a few blows of its own. There was a moment, after the creature fell and Hella was still standing, where Lem thought everything was going to be okay. 

 

And then Lem saw the blood, a bright disruption to the pattern of Hella’s armour, and she sank to her knees, her sword falling from her hand.

 

He and Fero rushed forward to catch her, easing her down to the ground, her head pillowed on Lem’s knees. All Lem could think was that there was  _ so much _ blood. 

 

Hella’s hands were shaking as she reached for them, gripping their hands tightly.

 

“I did it,” she said faintly, “you’re safe.”

 

“Yeah, you did it,” said Fero, “and now we’re gonna get you home, okay?”

 

“I don’t,” Hella took a shuddering breath, “I don’t think I can move right now. Just give me a minute.”

 

“No no no,” said Fero quickly, “that’s okay. That’s fine. I’ll just turn into a horse and we’ll carry you back, okay?”

 

Lem could see blood on her teeth as she laughed, a wet, gurgling sound.

 

“Oh, Fero,” said Hella.

 

She put a trembling hand to Fero’s cheek, leaving a streak of blood and dirt. Her eyes started to slip closed.

 

“No, hey, don’t fall asleep,” said Fero, tear tracks making streaks through the dirt that was perpetually on his cheeks. “That’s bad, right Lem?”

 

“Right,” said Lem. His voice sounded hoarse.

 

“‘M tired,” said Hella, “I’m… I’ll just rest for a moment.”

 

“Don’t go,” said Fero. His voice sounded so small. “Please.”

 

“Don’t think... I have much say in it,” said Hella. 

 

“You can fight this,” said Lem, finding his voice even as his vision blurred, “you can fight anything.”

 

She smiled up at them both. Her eyes were glassy. “You two always had more faith in me than I deserved.”

 

“No,” said Fero, “we have just the right amount.”

 

Hella’s wheezing laugh turned into a wet cough. Lem held her steady as she shook. She spat blood onto the snow.

 

“Please don’t go,” Fero said again. 

 

He was gripping Hella’s shirt so hard his knuckles had gone white. Hella loosely covered their hands with her own.

 

“You both…” Her eyes slipped shut. “Take care of each other, okay?” 

 

“Do  _ some _ thing,” said Fero, his voice cracking as he looked at Lem.

 

Lem’s mind scrambled for something, anything. Death was part of the pattern of life, so there weren’t exactly any case studies on how to break the pattern. Maybe if he couldn’t  _ break _ the pattern, he could stop it from forming. He just needed something to hold onto, something that would help hold Hella close to them.

 

Beside them, Hella’s sword began to hum a familiar Ordenan ballad. Lem closed his eyes, following the tune, turning it bright in his mind. Without opening his eyes he reached for Fero’s hand and squeezed it. 

 

Fero joined in, clumsily humming along. The thread in Lem’s mind glowed brighter and brighter, until he couldn’t keep his eyes closed any more.

 

Lem opened his eyes. He and Fero were in a stark white space. It wasn’t white like the snow, which was crowded with trees and animals and people. There was nothing, an absence of movement and sound and life. 

 

Lem gripped Fero’s hand tight. Beside them, Hella’s sword kept humming. Lem picked it up, feeling the weight of it in his hand. It was heavier than he remembered it being.

 

As he turned, he saw there was something else in the space -- a weary-looking man atop a high stone throne, and in front of him was-

 

“Hella!” cried Fero.

 

Fero rushed forward, pulling Lem along with him. Hella turned, surprised, but she had no time to say anything before Fero was throwing his arms around her, burying his face in her side.

 

“You can’t get away from us that easily,” said Fero, his voice muffled.

 

“You  _ idiots _ ,” said Hella fondly, pulling them both to her.

 

“You’re not supposed to be here,” said the man on the throne, frowning down at them.

 

“With all due respect, sir,” said Lem, “we’re supposed to be wherever Hella is.”

 

“Ah, I see,” said the man, a little bored. “It’s love, is it?”

 

“Yes,” said Lem, “it is. Very much so.”

 

“And I suppose you have a grand speech for me,” said the man, “about how you would do anything, even fight the God of Death, to stop what must be?”

 

“I… I don’t, actually,” said Lem.

 

“Just as well,” said the man, “as I have heard such a speech many times.”

 

“ _ Except _ to say,” said Lem, “that I would indeed do whatever such a god asked of me in order to bring Hella back with us.”

 

“So would I,” said Fero.

 

“Is that so?” said the man, amused, “And you, warrior, are you the same?”

 

Hella tightened her grip on them both. “Yes. I would like to stay with them, if I could.”

 

Lem blinked, and he felt tears, damp, on his face. Hella’s sword pulsed in Lem’s hands, another tune this time. Lem looked down at the sword in his hands. The song seemed to have something more defined than a melody now, Lem swore he could hear... a guitar? In the gleam of the blade Lem could see tree tops and a large house in a clearing. It looked peaceful. 

 

Out of the corner of his eye Lem could see the man staring down at the sword too. He blinked, leaning forward in his chair.

 

“Your sword seems to agree as well.”

 

“Yes,” said Hella, “it does that.”

 

“I knew a man once,” said the man slowly, “who, long ago, fell to a sword like that. Knew his father very well.”

 

He looked at them closely. Lem fidgeted under his gaze, his toes curling inside his boots.

 

“It is interesting to see such a sword again,” said the man finally. 

 

“You can’t have it,” said Hella quickly.

 

“Nor shall I,” said the man, “I could no more take that sword from you than I could separate you from your loves.”

 

Lem let out the breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding.

 

“Does that mean you’ll let us take Hella back?” said Fero.

 

The man nodded. “Do not be so careless with your life next time. Love is too often cut short by death, and next time I will not be so swayed by old friends.”

 

Fero nodded, his tears beginning to soak Hella’s under-armor.

 

The man turned to Lem. “Will you do something for me, though? Find that tower in the woods. Show him how she wields the sword now.”

 

The bright light came back, overwhelming Lem’s vision, and when he could finally see again he was kneeling on the snowy ground once more. Steam rose from the cooling body of the creature beside them. He was almost afraid to look down at Hella.

 

“Don’t cry,” said Hella, her voice rasping in her throat, “your tears will freeze.”

 

Fero made a soft sound at the back of his throat, burying his face in her neck. His shoulder shook. Hella rubbed a hand on his back, and pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

 

“Oh,” said Hella, “look.”

 

Lem blinked down. Fero had a streak of grey running through his hair.

 

“Fero’s getting old,” said Hella teasingly, running her hand along the streak.

 

Something glittered as she moved her head.

 

“You’ve got one too,” said Lem, his hand going to her hair.

 

“So do you!” said Fero, pointing at Lem.

 

Hella laughed, and then she frowned. She reached out slowly and touched the top of Lem’s head.

 

“We all have one,” said Hella, voice small, making terror rise in Lem’s throat again. But Hella was so  _ alive _ . 

 

“Oh,” said Lem softly.

 

“A souvenir,” said Fero.

 

“I think we have enough of those already,” said Hella wryly, moving to sit up. She winced.

 

“Are you-” said Lem.

 

“I’m not- hurt,” said Hella, “just sore, I think.”

 

Lem let out a shaky breath. “Good, that’s… that’s good.”

 

“It’s better than  _ good _ ,” said Fero, “We beat  _ death _ today!”

 

“I think it was more like death let us off the hook thanks to Hella’s sword,” said Lem.

 

“Whatever,” said Fero smiling, “it’s still a win.”

 

Hella smiled at him, carding her fingers through the grey streak in Fero’s hair. Fero blinked up at her, a serious look coming over his face.

 

Fero swallowed. “I’m glad you’re still here.”

 

“Me too,” said Hella.

 

She pressed a kiss to his forehead, letting the contact linger. Lem put his arms around them both, resting his cheek on the top of Hella’s head. From this angle he could see the streak of silver through her hair. He wondered if his own had the same shimmer to to it as the light caught it. Something else to mark them as bonded together.

 

After a moment Hella patted Lem’s arm.

 

“Come on,” said Hella, her voice sounding damp, “let’s go home.”

 

Lem nodded, being sure to look for any evidence of a clearing on their way back. He didn’t find any, but there was always next time.

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi on twitter/tumblr: madelinestarr | mariusperkins


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